I will share about Christian books I have read or listened to.
I will be sharing about my life before and after Christ. I will include stories about my pet and other pets I have encountered.
A Great Mercy
Think back on a time when you were shown mercy…
Maybe you owed someone money, but they decided to cancel your debt. Maybe you hurt someone you love, but they gave you another chance. Maybe you made a huge mistake, but you received forgiveness instead of punishment.
In the fifth of the beatitudes, a series of promises Jesus made about God’s Kingdom, Jesus said this:
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”
Matthew 5:7 NIV
Because we are imperfect sinners who have all fallen short of God’s standards, we all deserve death. We all deserve punishment. We all deserve to be eternally separated from God.
“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”
Ephesians 2:4-5 NLT
Jesus is passionate about justice and righteousness while simultaneously fervent about grace and mercy.
That’s why He paid the ultimate price for us—so that we could truly live. That’s why He conquered the grave—to mercifully save our souls. That’s why He sent His Spirit—so that we could also show mercy.
To be clear, grace and mercy, while similar, aren't the same. Grace is getting what you don’t deserve (an unwarranted gift) while mercy is not getting what you do deserve (judgment and wrath).
And while it’s easier said than done, His people are called to be merciful. Even when someone has wronged you. Yes, even when they don’t deserve your kindness. Yes, even when you don’t feel like being merciful.
God has shown us a great mercy. And now? We can extend mercy to others.
God So Loves You
If you’ve experienced any part of the Bible, you probably know that John 3:16 highlights a vital part of the gospel message…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16 NIV
Think about it:
“For God so loved the world …”
God didn’t merely like the world, but He loved the world. He loved you so much that He created you, made a way for you, and desired a forever relationship with you.
“… that he gave his one and only Son …”
Because of God’s immense love for the world, He gave—generously and sacrificially—His one and only Son … because it’s only through His death that we can have life.
“… that whoever believes in him …”
It’s not enough to know that Jesus existed as a real, historical person—James 2:19 reminds us that even the demons believe that and shudder. Believing in Jesus means we choose to trust Him as Savior and Master...
